Chilean president Sebastian Pinera arrived in the UK tonight saying Chile had given a great example to the world of “commitment, courage, faith, hope and unity”.

All but two of the rescued miners in Chile have been released from hospital.

The man tasked with digging out the 33 trapped Chilean miners has told how he and his team of experts pulled off the amazing rescue.

Three of the 33 rescued Chilean miners were celebrating at home today after being released from hospital with a clean bill of health.

The Chilean miners began leaving hospital today and got a taste of their new lives outside the doors – a swarm of reporters, TV producers, publicity agents and even football teams desperate for a piece of their story.

Chile's 33 rescued miners were reported in good health today as they met the country's president who pledged tougher safety laws.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has written to the President of Chile Sebastian Pinera describing the rescue of 33 miners trapped underground for 68 days as "extraordinary and inspirational".

The last of the Chilean miners, the foreman who held them together when they were feared lost, was raised from the depths of the earth today in a joyous ending to a 69-day ordeal that riveted the world

As the Chilean miners are rescued one by one, staff at a Co Clare company have been celebrating the success of the mission and the part they have played in the rescue effort.

Families and rescuers were celebrating today as trapped miners steadily emerged from their half-mile-deep dungeon under the Chilean desert.

Miners trapped for more than two months deep underground in northern Chile were greeted with hugs, cheers and tears today as they were pulled to the surface one by one by rescuers using a missile-like escape capsule.

To hugs, cheers and tears, rescuers today began pulling 33 men one by one to fresh air and freedom, 69 days after they were trapped in a collapsed Chilean mine almost half a mile underground.

The first of the Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days were being winched to fresh air and freedom today amid cheers from their families and countrymen.

The first of Chile’s 33 trapped miners is expected to be lifted to the surface in the early hours of tomorrow after more than two months below ground.

The agonising ordeal for 33 Chilean miners who have spent two months trapped underground was nearing its end today.

The Chilean mine rescue team successfully tested a rescue capsule nearly all the way down to where the miners are trapped today.

A drilling rig today punched through to the underground chamber where 33 miners have been trapped for 66 days under the Chilean desert, raising cheers, tears and hopes.

A drill has broken through the rock to Chile's 33 trapped miners, offering them escape after two months underground.

Sixty-six agonising days after their gold and copper mine collapsed above them, 33 miners were anxiously awaiting a way out today as a drill carved into the last layers of rock above their underground purgatory.

Chile’s mining minister announced that a shaft wide enough to provide an escape for 33 trapped miners should reach the men by tomorrow – and that their rescue could begin anywhere from two to 10 days after that.

Chile's president said his government is "very close" to pulling 33 trapped miners to safety and he hopes to be there in person to see the rescue before leaving on a trip to Europe.

The families of 33 trapped miners are in high spirits today after a surge in the drilling of escape tunnels raised hopes that the men's rescue may come sooner than scheduled.

The first of three rescue capsules specially built to lift out 33 Chilean miners trapped since early August arrived at the mine.

Rescuers drilling into a cavern where 33 Chilean miners are trapped have completed a bore hole ahead of schedule raising hopes the men could be out earlier than expected.

Chile’s mining minister acknowledged tonight that a problem has stalled the most advanced of three tunnels being drilled to 33 miners trapped underground and said officials might have to restart the bore hole in another location.

Former rugby players who survived more than two months after a plane crash in the Andes today met relatives of 33 trapped Chilean miners and urged them to stay strong.

The effort to save 33 men trapped deep in a Chilean mine was an unprecedented challenge, experts said today.

A new video of 33 men trapped in San Jose Mine under Chile's Atacama Desert shows them sending greetings to their families, talking about how they are doing better since receiving food and breaking into tears as they mention loved ones.

Pope Benedict XVI said today he was praying constantly for the Chilean miners trapped underground and urged them to remain calm as efforts continue to free them.

Engineers in Chile are working on a plan that they hope will dramatically speed up the rescue of 33 miners trapped in a collapsed shaft.